The Great CA Shakeout: Is Beverly Hills Earthquake Ready?

Beverly Hills CA

20 October, 2021

9:35 PM

Description

BEVERLY HILLS, CA —Drop, cover and hold on... the Great California ShakeOut Day is Thursday and it begs an important question: Are you ready for an earthquake? Beverly Hills businesses, government and residents will participate in Thursday's Great California ShakeOut day to put their emergency instincts to the test. The drill will take place at 10:21 a.m. To date, there are 3,198,010 people registered for the shakeout along the Southern California Coast. The city will practice their emergency response including assessing damage and injuries, the Beverly Hills Courier reported. "In light of the recent earthquakes that have occurred globally, the city is committed to ensuring both the public and its staff are prepared if a disaster occurs," Meena Janmohamed, City of Beverly Hills Emergency Management Manager, told the Beverly Hills Courier. "We encourage all residents and businesses to participate in this year's drill so that they can take the correct action when the time comes to do so." Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti said proactive preparation is essential for earthquakes. "As Californians, it's critical that we know what to do and take steps to be prepared before, not after, an earthquake strikes," Garcetti said. "Here in Los Angeles, we've made resilience a priority, retrofitting our most vulnerable buildings and delivering earthquake early warning to protect Angelenos' lives and property." The Great California ShakeOut: How to Participate: Drop, cover and hold on. On Thursday, Oct. 21 at 10:21 a.m., the website suggests drill participants to drop the ground, take cover under a table or desk and hold on as if a major earthquake were happening. It is important to practice now so you can immediately protect yourself during earthquakes. The website features an information page on what to do if you are in bed, outside, driving or in a tall building when an earthquake hits. Use your imagination. While you are participating in the drill, wherever you are, look around and imagine what would happen if a major earthquake were actually occurring. What would fall on you or others? What would be damaged? Text first, talk second. Once the "earthquake" has ended, send text messages to your friends and loved ones to make sure they're alright. The website suggests texting before calling, as texting enables you to send a mass text message and reach more people in a shorter amount of time. For more resources on what to do in the event of an earthquake, visit the Great California ShakeOut's website. City News Service, Ashley Ludwig and Emily Rahhal contributed to this story.